(73) Maróczy - Janowski Ostend July 3, 1906 Four Knights Game [C49] 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.0-0 0-0 6.d3 d6 7.Bxc6 Maróczy played 7.
Bg5 against Pillsbury at London, 1899. 7.bxc6 8.Ne2 This line was a real Maróczy-weapon. 8.Bc5?! The 8.Re8 9.Ng3 d5 follow-up was well known back then.
9.Ng3 Bb6 10.h3 Ne8?! 11.d4 exd4 12.Nxd4 Bd7 13.c4!? The fearsome Maróczy Bind could be applied here, too. 13.g6 14.
Kh2!? Knowing his opponent's style, he anticipates and prepares f4-f5. 14.Qh4?! 15.Nf3 Qe7 16.Bh6 Ng7 17.Qd2 f6 18.Nd4 After 18.Nh4!, 18.
f4 could have been carried out; after 18.f5, 19.Bg5 Qf7 20.exf5 Nxf5 21.Nhxf5 Bxf5 22.b3 Rfe8 23.Rac1, then Rc3, leads to an edge for White. 18.
Rfe8 18.Bxd4!? 19.Qxd4 c5 20.Qd2 a5, with chances to equalize. 19.Be3?! There was nothing wrong with 19.f4. 19.
h5 20.Nf3 Ne6 The bishop exchange and .g6-g5 would have been fiercer. 21.Nh4 Nf8 22.Bh6? Maróczy attributed this imprisonment of his own bishop to impatience born of fatigue. 22.c5! would have created a triple pawn for Black.
22.g5 23.Nhf5 If 23.Bxf8, then 23.Qxf8 24.Nhf5 h4 wins the e-pawn. 23.Bxf5 24.
exf5 24.Bxf8 Kxf8! 25.exf5 h4 26.Nh5 Qe2 27.Qxe2 Rxe2 28.Nxf6 Bxf2 and Black is heading to a most promising endgame. 24.h4 After 24.
Nd7!, the threat of .Qh7 can only be stopped by 25.h4 gxh4 26.Nxh5 - but after 26.Qe5+ 27.Kh1 Qd4, Black is still better. [Diagram] 25.Nh1 White has the extraordinary rescue 25.
Nh5!? Qf7 26.Qd1 Re4 27.f4. 25.Nd7 26.Rfe1 An interesting mating net would appear after 26.Rae1 Ne5!? 27.f4?: 27.
Nxc4 28.Rxe7 Nxd2 29.Rfe1 Rxe7 30.Rxe7 Nf1#. 26.Qh7 27.Bxg5 fxg5 28.Qxg5+ Kh8 Black is winning after every possible move.
For example, 28.Kf7 29.Re6 Rxe6 30.fxe6+ Kxe6 31.Re1+ Ne5, Rg8, when White should lose. 29.Re6 Rxe6 If 29.Rg8?, 30.
Qf4 wins the queen. 30.fxe6 Nf8? Unjustified passivity, letting White get back in the game. After 30.Ne5 31.Re1 Nd3 (31.Rg8? 32.Qf6+ Qg7 33.
Qxh4+ Qh7 34.Qf6+ =) 32.Qf6+ Kg8, White has no threats. 31.Re1 Ng6? The square is correct, but the piece chosen is not. The tables have turned. 32.e7 Qf7 32.
Re8 was better, slowing down White's initiative. 33.Qh6+ Kg8 34.Re4! Ne5 35.Rxh4 Qg7 36.Qh5 Ng6 37.Rg4 Simpler is 37.Re4 Kf7 (37.
Re8 38.Re6i) 38.e8Q+ Rxe8 39.Qf5+. 37.Kf7 38.Ng3 Rg8 38.Qf6 39.
Rg5 and it is over. 39.Nf5 Qe5+ 40.f4 Qe6 After 40.Qe1, the mate threat is countered by 41.Qh7+ Kf6 42.Rxg6+ Rxg6 43.Qh8+ Kxf5 44.
Qf8+ Rf6 45.g4+.